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Friday, July 25, 2008

Ancient Italian Woman

The discovery of the tomb of an ancient woman in Ancona, Italy has revealed just how wide-reaching trade throughout the Mediterranean really was.

The woman died over 2600 years ago was her tomb was recently discovered near the port of Ancona. The area gave up its treasures - to date over 650 artifacts - dating from the 7th century BC AND from different parts of the world.

From the article in ANSA:" ''This tomb is of extraordinary importance, as it contains the only known funerary finds in the area of Conero dating from this time,'' said the Archaeology Superintendent for the Marche region, Giuliano de Marinis. The pieces demonstrate that an extensive network of contact and trade once linked this section of the Adriatic coast not only to Sicily and southern and central Italy, but also much further afield. The tomb contains artefacts manufactured in sites as far away as modern-day Egypt, Rhodes, mainland Greece, the Palestinian Territories and Anatolia.

Of particular value are five glazed pottery pendants, which were made in Egypt. Among the other items contained in the tomb were pendants of ivory, glass paste and amber, scarabs, and belts of buckle and bone."

So - there is a reason why we women love our jewelry - it dates back many many centuries - its in our genes!